The College of Engineering's Graduate Engineering Research Scholars (GERS) is a unique fellowship program designed to offer students a support network of peers. Through GERS, students become members of a supportive community of UW-Madison engineering graduate students, faculty and staff.

Douglass Henderson, GERS faculty director, receives the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring for his significant contributions to mentoring pre-college, undergraduate and graduate students and young faculty in engineering and the sciences.

The Graduate Engineering Research Scholars (GERS) program was created in 1999 to increase the number of underrepresented minority students receiving graduate degrees, specifically PhDs, in engineering and entering the professoriate.

While completing their degrees, students in GERS create a community of scholars who meet twice a month for personal and professional development opportunities.

Since its inception, the program has graduated 56 PhDs and 61 MS. Already 14 of the 56 are in faculty positions; an additional 5 are in post-doctoral positions. Of the 56 PhDs, 33 (59%) were awarded to women.